Developing Thinking Players in Rugby Union through the Game Sense Approach to Coaching

Richard Light （The University of Melbourne）

Abstract 　Effective play in rugby requires tactical understanding and decision-making ability. Not only do rugby players need to know how to perform techniques but also when, why and where to perform them. They need to understand where these skills fit into the game and understand the tactical dimensions of the game before they are able to make intelligent decisions. Rugby is a very tactically complex game in which players must constantly deal with a changing environment and make appropriate decisions based, not only on an immediate individual basis, but also an understanding of how the player's actions can best contribute to the team's game plan. The focus of traditional coaching on the development of technique, however, neglects these important areas of performance. 'Game Sense' is a way of coaching developed in Australia over the past decade that offers rugby coaches a means of developing thinking, creative players with flexible skills and the understanding needed for good decision-making. This paper begins by outlining the ways in which the Game Sense way of coaching can help develop thinking players with a better understanding of the game. Drawing on interviews conducted with coaches from a range of sports who are using a Game Sense approach to coaching in Australia it identifies and discusses what they see as its strengths as a way of coaching before providing examples of activities for coaching rugby union to illustrate how Game Sense can be put into practice.

Keywords: rugby, tactical understanding, Game Sense, Australia